Quite possibly one of the funniest things a passenger has ever said...

[multi_engined]

Last week on an extended charter we were preparing to depart a CTAF out in the sticks bound for port hedland. When I arrived at the holding point the passenger beside me asked about radio operations and who is controlling airspace in the sticks so I went through the CTAF procedures and how that when we cruise we monitor BN CTR which is a frequency that jets use to make position reports etc. Anyhow with a C210 on finals, the passenger in the back yells out "How did the pilot know there was a plane on finals?" The bloke beside me turned around and said "He tuned up Brisbane centre and they told him there was one comin in". It was just one of those moments I thought i'd just let that one go having a good laugh to myself.

Anybody else have anything similar

[FRQ Charlie Bravo]

Once when explaining the round-out and the role that ground effect played I mentioned that the wing was incredibly efficient when within 1.5 times the wingspan of the ground. My "co-pilot" pax asked why we didn't just fly in ground effect the whole time since it was more efficient. Pretty easy explanation from there of course but funny none-the-less.

FRQ CB

[kingRB]

meat bombing, as i'm strapping on my pilot rig under the wing, the tandem masters walk up with their jumping pax, and the pommy middle age bird says to us "where are the engines?"

She was quite genuine about it too.



We were using a 182.

[The Green Goblin]

Landing a 210 a passenger remarked 'that was a good landing, but it's all autoland these days isn't it?'

Another passenger once frantically grabbed the controls to turn a corner taxiing to stop me from taxiing off the taxiway (didn't know you use your feet to taxi)

A middle aged pommy passenger asked how is the engine connected to the wheels when it is at the front and the gear legs are so skinny?

So when are you going to be a commercial Pilot? (tapping me on the shoulder while in the process of flaring for landing)

I came to the conclusion that most passengers lose their common sense once entering an aeroplane!

[eocvictim]

A mate in IT who's on $300k "You guys get paid like $500 grand dont ya?"

and I love this one

"Soon you wont even have a job, everyone will be flying around in cars!" Good luck with that.

[rodrigues]

"All you blokes are glorified Bus drivers, got the easiest job in the world, it's all auto-pilot, all you do is turn on the GPS and go."

Perhaps they could introduce in-flight entertainment covering the real life of a pilot, so there's a bit more appreciation of the responsibility and numerous hoops required to jump through.

[Horatio Leafblower]

So when are you going to be a commercial Pilot?

Never gets old that one, does it?

[Howard Hughes]

Hey Aeroo, do all your passengers think they are going to die?

Best one I ever had was a phone call... "what time does the midday plane leave"? After much deliberation (and when I stopped laughing) the best I could come up with was, err..."12"!

[eocvictim]

A friend has a relative who works at NCAR. She mentioned being shown through one of their test aircraft, "it was only little", "a golf-air or something".

[ResumeOwnNav]

After landing and unloading my passengers bags from the C310, one lady passenger asked me "So was that one a single or twin engine plane?"

With the straightest possible face I simply replied "twin"

I still don't know if she was joking.

[mingalababya]

Was having dinner with some friends (with no aviation background) just before I left for China to instruct and was explaining to them about the license conversion process.

Me: "Well I have to sit three written exams and do a checkride to convert my Australian license to the Chinese CAAC license before I can fly over there".

Friend: "What do you have to do to convert it back to an Australian license when you return?"

Me:

[Timocacy]

At the servo the other day buying a pie and the guy working there says "I didn't know pilots ate meat pies."

[Swift6]

Twenty minute flight to Newman in a Baron - a miner asks "What meal will you be serving today?"

I was so taken back I couldn't think of anything funny to say I just cracked up laughing!

[Jabawocky]

And of course, I get the usual questions everyone else would get: When are you going to get your real licence? (As opposed to the imaginary licence I have at the moment?)

Your problem is you are just too good looking to be a real pilot!

heheheheh...........Now how do I know that!

Keep Up the Good Work Girl!

J

[clear to land]

Number of years ago as a relatively experienced pilot in the RFDS-'Are you getting hours up for your Commercial Licence." A bemused smile and a non-specific 'not exactly' was my best response.

[Mach E Avelli]

In the good old days when pax were allowed into the cockpit for a look-see, kid about 12 years old full of curiosity asked how high we were. 'About 10,000 meters'. A few questions later spied the escape rope. 'What's that for ?' 'So the crew can get out in an emergency'.... Silence while he thinks about it then: 'Wow, that must be a long rope!'

But the howler of all time actually came from a relatively new F/O who had been an ATCO in the RAAF. I was doing his line training and because we did international charter work somehow we got into a discussion about the relative merits of the metric system versus the imperial and US systems of measurement. Russia, China, USA and Europe and all that stuff. QFE, QNH blah blah.
Dead serious, he asked if we used statute feet or nautical feet.

[beaver_rotate]

Hey Swift he must have known you were a biccy thrower in a past life ey??

[Pass-A-Frozzo]

Was at Avalon Airshow around a decade ago showing people through a brand new C-130J-30 Super Hercules.

Individual walks up and asks (pointing at Super Hercules) "So is that what they call an aircraft carrier?"

<< I seriously considered saying "Yes, Yes it is!" out of ease >>

(As a side note, what was with the bogan women pointing their children towards the flight deck then leaving for the next 30 minutes.... "No.. don't touch that please.. <slap> it's an engine Fire Handle.. <slap>.... <slap>..")

[Capetonian]

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain. We're passing through some turbulence, nothing to be alarmed about, please remain in your seats until we're through it, in about 5 minutes time and I'll turn the seat belts off."

Little old lady next to me : "If he'd just drive a little slower it wouldn't be this bumpy ...."

[ules]

Great thread.
I was standing in line at maccas, wearing my uniform, epaulets name tags with aviation company name and logo etc, a group of tourists (for vineyards) approached me and asked me where i parked the coach and how long till the coach leaves.